Lane Kiffin announces top JUCO WR will not play for Ole Miss in 2024
Lane Kiffin had unfortunate news to pass along on Wednesday: Deion Smith will not be a member of the Ole Miss football team in 2024.
“Today, I was told he will not be part of our program,” Kiffin told reporters on the SEC coaches teleconference. “So, wish him the best of luck. Wish it would have worked out.”
Smith was seen as a big get for the Rebels. He announced his plans to continue his career at Ole Miss back in December.
Out of Holmes Community College in Mississippi, Smith was rated the No. 1 overall JUCO transfer by the 247Sports Composite. In 8 games last season, Smith logged 48 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns for Holmes, an impressive average of 22.1 yards per reception. Auburn, Mississippi State and Utah were among the other programs to show interest in adding him as a transfer.
Kiffin did not go into detail about Smith’s status. There is a reported academic issue.
We have another confirmation that Deion Smith was denied eligibility related to his summer classes at Mid American Christian. He won’t suit up for #OleMiss this fall. https://t.co/j66M5rMAGy https://t.co/toLQkaLwNH
— Chase Parham (@ChaseParham) August 28, 2024
A former Jackson (Mississippi) Academy stand out in the 2021 recruiting class, Smith began his college journey at LSU. In 2021, Smith played in 6 games for the Tigers, including 3 starts, logging 11 catches for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Smith was expected to be part of a loaded wide receiver room that includes Tre Harris, Juice Wells and Jordan Watkins. Harris led Rebel receivers in 2023 with 54 catches for 985 yards and 8 touchdowns. Watkins contributed 53 receptions for 741 yards and 3 scores. At South Carolina, Wells made just 3 appearances last season. He had a stellar 2022, recording 68 catches for 928 yards and 6 TDs.
Ole Miss enters the 2024 campaign with an over/under of 9.5 regular-season wins at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rebels begin Year 5 of Kiffin’s tenure against Furman on Saturday.
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A juco player with an academic issue, imagine the possibilities of that happening…probably why if Kirby had his druthers he would rather keep the players he recruits vs dabbling in the portal. But unfortunately, this is new era of college football…I salute either Kiff or the school administration, whomever made the decision, for not playing someone not academically qualified
Kirby has taken two WRs from the portal each of the past two seasons, which makes sense because UGA has struggled to recruit elite WRs.
I recognize that you are a bammer so let me s l o w i t d o w n for you…if Kirby had his druthers he would rather keep the players he recruits. Care to guess how many WRs Kirby had portal out on him in the last 2 years?
He’s dabbled in the portal, as my previous statement indicates and directly contradicts your original statement.
How many? Jermaine Burton, the one that still bothers you for some reason. Other than that, Not many because they aren’t good enough for other teams to care about.
Seven, this year alone. You and Donk really know nothing about CFB. The two or three Bama posters who were pretty informed left the site after 2021.
I don’t keep up with every little thing about the pups. I apologize for not obsessing over UGA like you do Bama.
JT, Should I tell him that they all transferred to other D1/P5 schools or let him pretend that they aren’t good enough for other teams?
Good for them. JT just completely flipped your original statement on its head. Looks like you don’t know much about your own team as you think.
wtf are you twisting and turning about, flipped on it’s head. get real son. JT answered half of the question I asked you that you avoided…Kirby would have rather kept the WRs he recruited, but they portaled out for pt guarantees and $ elsewhere, so he was forced to go after replacements in the portal. You’re not very good at focusing are you? Perhaps donke can share some of his Ritalin with you…
btw the answer was 10…
Leg and I are College Football fans. We commit on every team, not just Bama. You and Donk, on the other hand, live in a bubble. And I would imagine you most likely have never attended a college football game.
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When was the last time anyone in ncaa athletics was ineligible due academic? Scam.